Animal Ecology (ZOO 150)

Laboratory Presentation

Aileen Grace Delima

 PROTECTION from Predation is offered by physical
structures (sea grass blades and mangrove roots),
substratum, turbidity, and shrimp behavior (hiding and
burying).

- Primavera, H. 1997.
Mangroves

 crucialcomponent of the coastal ecosystem

 powerful form of erosion control

 provide shelter and nutrients to their

ecosystems
 shelter to young fish, shrimps, crabs and mollusks
where they can live safely and develop.
Objectives

 To describe the function of mangroves, sea

grasses and substratum by means of
laboratory controlled experiments.

 To determine the effect of habitat structure

and substratum on predation of the grass
shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio by striped
bass, Morone saxitilis and mummichog,
Fundulus heteroclitus.
Experiment
 Acclimatization

20 min
PREDATORS Palaemonetes pugio

SET-UP
Experiment
Habitat structure types

Primavera, H. 1997.
 Substrata
SAND ROCKS

PEBBLES

Wash to remove organic matter, wet-sieve and classify by size.

Primavera, H. 1997.
Pneumatophores

0 PER 98 PER
TANK TANK
32 PER
TANK

30 cm long attach to precut holes on thin lead sheets.

Primavera, H. 1997.
 Sea Grasses

0 PER 98 PER
TANK TANK

32 PER
TANK

Primavera, H. 1997.
Main Reference:
Primavera, H. 1997. Fish predation on
mangrove-associted penaeids: the role of
structures and substrate.